MODA Magazine Winter 2017 by MODA

Winter 2017 | The University of Chicago

LETTER FROM THE EDITORS

MODA Magazine 2016-2017 CO-EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Maya Hansen & Frances Chen

EDITORIAL BOARD:

This quarter, our editorial board made a rare decision: to not have a theme. The result was an issue made up of a wide and vibrant variety of articles, stories, and ideas. Our writers explored what interested them personally, from the evolution of women’s clothing to a profile on Donatella Versace. Skater Boy took our stylists and photographers to the Burnham Park skate park to explore the skate culture that helped to define many of our adolescent and college years. Multifaceted was originally inspired by the stunningly fierce and atmospheric art direction of Solange’s “A Seat at the Table” music videos; then, the vintage pieces from Le Thrift and Zen atmosphere of Jackson Park’s Osaka Garden gave the shoot a life of its own. We also took time to sit down with the creative minds behind the brands and stores we collaborated with for our shoots. Le Thrift’s Christine Sanderson and Saint Alfred’s David R. Robinson each gave insight into their creative vision and aesthetic and how to they run successful businesses in the fashion industry here in Chicago. As always, we are so privileged to work with a staff that puts so much hard work and creative passion into each issue and we hope that you, our readers, enjoy the result!

Maya Hansen & Frances Chen

MODA Magazine Co-Editors-in-Chief

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PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR Albert Nam WRITING EDITORS Sucheta Kinger & Krishna Mukkavilli MANAGING EDITOR Maya Rodriguez VISUAL DESIGN EDITOR Lauren Han FINANCE DIRECTOR & PR MANAGER Amutha Muthukumar BEAUTY EDITOR Michelle DePorto FEATURES EDITOR Olivia Jia STYLING EDITORS Rohit Satishchandra & Jena Yang STYLE ADVISOR Ogonna Obiajunwa STAFF ENGAGEMENT DIRECTOR Sana Sohail ASSISTANT BEAUTY EDITOR Saylor Soinski ASSISTANT VISUAL DESIGN EDITOR Jen McIntosh ASSISTANT PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR Daniel Chae

STAFF:

WRITERS & CONTRIBUTERS: Mahathi Ayyagari, Ryan Bergman, Jonas Ciplickas, Sarah Eikenberry, Aanya Jhaveri, Caleb Lugo, Yamini Nambimadom, Anita Obasohan, Igolo Obi, Karnika Pombra, Paige Resnick, Jennifer Teng, Melanie Wang STYLISTS: Christy Cheng, Leon Chin, Eleonora Edreva, Maxime Kpangbai, Caleb Lugo, Paige Resnick, Rohit Satishchandra, Stefan Tesliuc PHOTOGRAPHERS: Naomy Grand’Pierre, Kiran Misra MODELS: Alessa Cross, Jason Deng, Mati Esther Engel, Samantha Gilbert, Macy Helm, Rachel Hile-Broad, Aanya Jhaveri, Poonam Kamdar, Olamide Katheryn, Ryan Keem, Binger Shanguan, Nicole Somerstein

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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FASHION WEEK’S HIGH COUTURE HIGHLIGHTS:

Explore the world without ever leaving Chicago, and let MODA staff writers be your travel experts.

TIMELESS - THE EVOLUTION OF THE LBD:

Some things never change – throughout decades of change, the LBD has always remained a timeless classic.

FASHION X MUSIC:

Staff writer Anita Obasohan analyzes the intersection between music artists and their impact on popular fashion.

SNAPCHAT SPECTACLES:

Snapchat’s newest endeavor: Snapchat Spectacles, and its potential success in the market that failed the Google Glass.

STREET STYLE:

The evolution of street style and its metamorphosis into a creative fashion outlet for models, stylists, and designers.

COVERBOY:

17 year old Bethlehem, New York native James Charles becomes the first male face of CoverGirl.

THE EVOLUTION OF WO(MEN)’S WEAR:

Staff writer Mahathi Ayyagari takes us through the latest style trend: the androgenization of women and men’s fashion.

PREJUDICE, POLITICS, & PANTSUITS:

Hot off the trail of Hillary Clinton’s campaign, MODA takes a closer look at the scrunity Hillary (and her pantsuits) faced by the press.

IS MODEST FASHION MAINSTREAM?:

Stylized by Orthodox Jews and Muslim women, modest fashion is becoming a growing trend.

Photo: The Verge

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THE NEW FACE OF VERSACE:

A tribute to the ultimate fashion icon, Donatella Versace, and the revolutionary style she brought to her brand.

STREETWEAR TO HAUTE COUTURE:

A look at Off-White’s Virgil Abloh and the incorporation of stereotypical “streetwear” into high fashion.

YOUNG THUG’S FASHION REVOLUTION:

Young Thug revolutionizes men’s fashion on the cover of his latest mixtape.

POP UP POP COUTURE:

The rising popularity of celebrity pop-up shops in cities all over the country, showcasing their own fashion lines.

SAINT ALFRED:

Features editor Olivia Jia sits down with David Robinson, store manager and buyer of Saint Alfred Chicago.

LE THRIFT:

We hear from Christine Sanderson, founder of Chicago’s luxury consignment store, Le Thrift.

MULTIFACETED:

MODA’s beauty team plays with the idea of multi-purpose makeup and bright colors.

SKATER BOY:

We headed to Burnham Park skate park for a take on fashion where you’d least expect it.

OUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE NEW:

Winter formalwear takes something borrowed with earthy tones and vintage looks from Le Thrift.

FASHION WEEK 2016

BY IGOLO OBI

Rookie USA’s Fall/Winter collection debuted at the September New York Fashion Week and was the breath of fresh air amongst all of the high-end fashion and manufactured “flawlessness” that is typically a Big 4 Fashion Week. The brand, which specializes in children’s clothing, used a range of models that were all between the ages of 4 and 15. The designs consisted of bright and colorful clothing with fun patterns. Coupled with grinning and laughing children and toddlers who were clearly elated at finding themselves at the center of Fashion Week, Rookie USA found its own spotlight amongst its peers.

ROOKIE USA

Vivienne Tam’s collection debuted at the September New York Fashion Week, and managed once again to be one of the most interesting showcases. Known for her ability to mix Western contemporary fashion and technology, Vivienne’s collection took viewers to a distant millennium, with colorful looks that included bold patterns, plastic jackets, metallic clothing fit for the Starship Enterprise, and zany headgear straight out of the classic futuristic television show, “The Jetsons”. Ms. Tam’s decision to allow the audience to use their iPhones added to the “techy” vibes, as she used the runway as a time machine to transfer viewers into the future.

VIVIENNE TAM

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The Vera Wang collection, which debuted at this year’s Fall/ Winter NYFW, was a surprising change of pace. Known for presenting itself as a high-fashion version of every girl’s fairytale princess dreams, Ms. Wang instead chose to orchestrate a much darker fantasy. Accompanied by a chorus of violins, injected with sharp rifts off of an electric guitar, the dresses were all an oily black and knee high, with very few imbued with a pop of color. Ms. Wang’s collection was definitely a success, showcasing her ability to navigate outside the constraints of matronly bridal wear.

VERA WANG

MARCHESA

Marchesa, notorious for its couture garments, presented fitted, custom gowns on its models. Beneath low-level blue lighting, the event showcased dresses largely made of satin, in colors ranging from pale peaches, sea greens, baby blues, lilacs, and shimmering silvers; with the spectators’ faces on either side of the aisle, the show gave the impression of observing jellyfish floating around an aquarium tank. If Marchesa’s mission was to put the dreamer in a dream, then the goal was surely achieved. With isolated piano keys ringing through the venue, the entire sequence took viewers to a dimension entirely all their own.

, ER , AZ M BL .CO LE US ILD TY RO CH O R :S OS AM TE E OT GL OS GU PH ISIS LY, P , VO TH ING INE V LI GAZ MA

HAUTE COUTURE HIGHLIGHTS

the evolution of the

LBD

Staff writer Sarah Eikenberry reflects on the evolution of a timeless classic - the little black dress - from the 1930’s flapper trend, to Audrey Hepburn’s simple sheath, to the shrinkage of the LBD.

xactly 90 years ago, in October of 1926, American Vogue included a sketch of the Chanel “Ford” Dress-- a simple, long-sleeved, calflength black dress-- and proclaimed it was “the frock that all the world will wear.” And was Vogue right. For nearly a century, the Little Black Dress has dominated the female wardrobe as an iconic,versatile, universally flattering piece that is both edgy and elegant. By our standards, Chanel’s Ford dress would actually be a Long Black Dress, or a Baggy Black Dress; it was practically shapeless, and in a time of corsetry and intricate embroidery, its simplicity was almost unheard of. On top of that, black was a color traditionally reserved for funerals, considered sad and depressing. For the first time, a woman could be both fashionable and comfortable. The dress was not sexual, but sensible; it freed women from their prison of whalebone and beading and allowed them to move through the world unrestricted. While the calf-length hemline was rather risqué for the day, the sophisticated ease and quiet rebellion of the dress rocketed it to worldwide fame. From the first little black dress stemmed all the rest. The 1930’s little black dress embraced the flapper trend, sticking with the simple shape of the original but adding gauze layers and beading to it. By the 1940s, the LBD was so popular, Vogue declared “ten out of ten women have one-- but ten out of ten want another because a Little Black Dress leads the best-rounded life.” After Chanel took a break from the fashion industry (a tale for another day, but one that involves foreign

by sarah eikenberry

lovers, exile, and the Nazis) Christian Dior ushered in the “new look” of the 1950’s. In the decade of the ladylike, prints and color came back in full force, leaving black to seem mysterious and alluring. As Vogue proclaimed, in what is some truly descriptive journalism, wearing black could be a woman’s “most !!! costume.” We continue with the evolution of the Little Black Dress and find ourselves in the 1960’s with its most iconic wearer, Audrey Hepburn. The simple Givenchy sheath dress she wore in Breakfast at Tiffany’s-- which has its own Wikipedia page and was sold in 2006 for $923,187-- is perhaps the most famous Little Black Dress of all time. It embodies simple sophistication, timeless elegance, and utmost grace. The 1970s and 80’s were decades of color, not such great news for the LBD. While disco became all the rage and Diane Von Furstenberg’s patterned wrap dresses overtook the streets in the 70’s, the Little Black Dress struggled to remain relevant, stuffed in a closet with bell-bottoms and peasant blouses. The 80’s LBD was adorned with shoulder pads, sequins and ruffles as hemlines shortened and necklines lowered. In this decade, the Little Black Dress was anything but simple; as Geoffrey Beene put it, “the black dress used to be ‘basic.’ It’s moved on to have impact.” By the 1990’s, The LBD returned to simplicity as the grunge movement overtook the neon legwarmers of the previous decade (thank God). The Little Black dress became more casual, something to be worn with a flannel and Doc Martins; it was tight, it was short, it was simple. The 2000’s, a decade we all wish had never happened in fashion, saw the continuation of the LBD shrinkage, but the diversification of its styles. In this decade the LBD took on its most sex appeal, acquiring extra straps or cut outs and leaving little to the imagination. Today, there is a Little Black Dress for everyone. Every woman looks to the LBD at times when she can’t bear to put anything else on; it is a failsafe staple of the modern woman’s wardrobe, but it is so much more than that. To wear a black dress is to wear a piece of history, a swatch of women’s liberation and resistance; to wear a little black dress, is to wear confidence.

Photos: Pinterest, Everything Audrey Hepburn

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Show Me What’s on Your Playlist, and I’ll Tell You What’s in Your Closet... BY ANITA OBASOHAN

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as there ever been a fashion show without music? Would Beyoncé’s videos be the same without her iconic style choices? Each music genre has its own visual fashion identity, and you’ll find that a lot of music followers have similar styles to the biggest celebrities in that genre. People with diverse music tastes might also have varying fashion styles. Music brings life to a designer’s fashion show and fashion contributes to the persona of the artist, but does one have greater influence on the other, or do they exist together in a co-dependent relationship? Either way, music artists and fashion designers alike, have taken advantage of this relationship to further enhance their brands, start a movement and augment the consumer experience of their products. It’s obvious that music and fashion are closely linked - they are both forms of art and a practice of expression. Artists and designers create pieces that express who they are, how they feel, or where they come from. As such, the onstage persona and looks of many music artists function as an extension of the music they create, for example, Diana Ross demanded that we “Stop! In the Name of Love” while rocking her big, diva hair with flamboyant dresses adorned with jewels making us feel unworthy of her presence. Nowadays, artists also have social media platforms to convey their brand and express their art. These social channels are also key to fashion brands who spend a lot on branding through collaboration with certain artists. They spend a lot of money on research into the musical interests of their key consumer demographic so they can tap into the lifestyle their customer base is a part of or

wants to adopt. Nowadays, artists also have social media platforms to convey their brand and express their art. These social channels are also key to fashion brands who spend a lot on branding through collaboration with certain artists. They spend a lot of money on research into the musical interests of their key consumer demographic so they can tap into the lifestyle their customer base is a part of or wants to adopt. Artists make fashion a lifestyle that their fans want to be a part of; they make it more accessible and relatable for young people and those who may not be considered (or might not consider themselves) sophisticated enough to wear these brands. For example, through collaborations like Bieber at

Barney’s or celebrity pop-up stores, many fans who may never have considered themselves to belong to the exclusive fashion scene, go out to these events to support their favorite celebrities. Artists also open previously perceived commercial brands to the high fashion world; for example, Adidas and Kanye West’s Yeezy shoes collection was a great success for both parties involved; it has become the most significant partnership between an athletic brand and a non-athlete. Along the same lines, Puma took a risk when they made Rihanna, someone who had no former design training, the women’s creative director in 2014. However, she managed to generate lots of revenue for the company and elevated their image, with her style reputation of always wearing the trendiest

looks true to her style. Musicians are inspired and dressed by designers who are in turn inspired by the stars of the stage themselves. Michael Jackson was considered the king of pop, had a very iconic style and often wore Balmain. Hints of his style are apparent in the brand’s clothing and some people say that he may have even re-invented the Balmain brand. Music also pushes the boundaries and forces us to reconsider what we regard as fashion. Artists like Lady Gaga, push boundaries of what’s considered wearable (her meat dress at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards) and in the same fashion, her music encourages her “monsters” to be who they want to be and embrace their individuality despite the consequences. Music and fashion allow people to feel like they are a part of something, they evoke something. That song you always listened to on the drive to school with your parents, or that dress you wore to your senior prom with your high school sweetheart; they embody so much more than a couple of notes strung together, and because of how personal fashion and music are to an individual, they have the potential to bring people together and be great influential forces in the greater society. Music artists have a big part to play in influencing street trends through looks that are in line with their brand and on-stage image, which fits in with the aesthetic of their fans. It is evident that music and fashion exist in an almost inseparable relationship, so if you show me what’s on your playlist, I might not be completely accurate with telling you every item of clothing in your closet, but I’ll probably come close to describing what your fashion style is like. Photos: RihannaDaily.com, Essence

by melanie wang

snapchat spectacles

earable technology has become increasingly popular in today’s society; the concept first debuted in society in 2004, and many companies have since attempted to enter this field. This trend has yet to really take off, but this fact hasn’t stopped companies from trying. A little more on wearable technology–its definition really varies depending on whom

Photos: CNET

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you ask. Generally, there are two categories; wearable tech intended for personal usage and then for business usage. Right now, wearable technology still seems like a strange concept to most people, and yet it has already been implemented into society. With the rise of gadgets such as the FitBit and the Apple Watch, fashion and technology have slowly been merging. The latest company to add to the technological fashion fad is Snapchat, with their new glasses dubbed “Snapchat Spectacles”. The glasses are chunky and oversized, and come in three different colors: teal, coral, and black. Much like the features of Snapchat, these glasses are brightly colored and slightly silly looking. With the appearance of large and trendy sunglasses, these “Spectacles” are intended to be used during the day, and have tinted lenses that function just as normal sunglasses would. The spectacles release date has yet to be made public, but they’re expected to hit the market in upcoming weeks. The listed price is currently 130 USD. The glasses’ 115-degree lens are intended to mimic the view that a person would normally see, making the recorded videos similar to what someone might see through his or her own eyes. With just a simple tap, the user can record ten second videos, just like regular snapchats, but from a more personal, “through my eyes” type of view. The videos get transferred via Bluetooth or WiFi to the user’s phone. Users won’t even need to carry their phones with them to score that perfect snap story because the glasses will allow them to store data locally and transfer it to a phone later. In a world where people often care more about documenting a moment or a meal than the actual event itself, Snapchat has become the best way to show off anything and everything that happens in someone’s daily life. The myriad of celebrities that use Snapchat almost obsessively to document their daily lives might find these new Snapchat Spectacles to be a perfect way to stream more. The Snapchat Spectacles could take the phrase “walking in someone else’s shoes” to a whole new level. In a world where technology is becoming increasingly, and perhaps worryingly, more popular, wearable technology has become the latest new thing. Snap Inc. considers this product to be entirely dif-

ferent from Google X’s Google Glass, but the Snapchat Spectacles just seem to be a simpler, sunnier version of the Google Glass. Both of them have the capability of taking pictures and recording videos, though the spectacles can’t really do much beyond that. From a fashion point of view, the spectacles are as trendy as the extra-large and blocky frames mirror the latest releases from the likes of Michael Kors and Quay; from an aesthetic point of view, they’re in. As always, the company insists that this newest piece of wearable tech will be the hottest accessory. Maybe they’re right, but in this case, the spectacles are only marketable as fancy sunglasses–because they’re tinted, they’d be of little to no use indoors and in dark places. Logistically speaking, they’re not the most practical, but then again, wearable technology has introduced the world to some strange, impractical things. It wasn’t too long ago that the smartphone craze hadn’t yet taken over the developed societies around the world and infiltrated everything we do–yet look at the world now–people eat, sleep and party with phones in hand. Snap Inc. is expected to announce a release date in November, and a limited number of these Snapchat Spectacles will go on sale later, adding to an already growing market of wearable technology. The question is, will these glasses spark a sensation akin to the one of Apple Watch, or will they flop just as countless others in the market have? There hasn’t been a huge amount of publicity or ads for these upcoming Spectacles, but the skepticism among those who are aware is tangible. Though this latest piece of wearable tech seems much trendier and stylish–it mimics the chunky, oversized sunglasses that are currently hot–the glasses are likely to fall flat in sales. Despite priding themselves on being less than one-tenth the price of Google Glass, Snapchat Spectacles are still pricey (at 130$) for the age range they are targeting. Most teenagers and young adults would be unwilling to spend that amount when they already have sunglasses and Snapchat on their phones. Only time will tell, but the future doesn’t look promising for this new product, especially based on past trends from the likes of Google Glass and other wearable glasses. 11

Taking It To the Streets BY AANYA JHAVERI

n the 1950s, the Champs-Elysées (the city of Paris’s central boulevard) was a hotspot for Parisian women donned in Dior or Balenciaga on their afternoon walk, sipping their espressos in a café or getting some sun on a park bench. While the Champs-Elysées was considered the runway of streets, major fashion houses back then would often encourage or even dressed some of their models to disperse in cities all over the world in order to reach an audience beyond a traditional fashion show. This exposure led to the dawn of what we know street style as it is today. However, over the years it has revolutionized into an outlet that allows each individual to be their very own model, stylist, and designer, transforming what may have started as a business tactic into a hobby and eventually into a lifestyle. Street fashion as we know it now encompasses a large umbrella of various styles. These extend further than the 1950s street style world of haute couture; the focus transformed from extending the runway into being an outlet for personal creativity. This paradigm shift resulted in an open ended concept of style and fashion that allows an individual to leave their own mark; from the wearer’s standpoint, street style isn’t about function or showing off a brand’s clothing—it’s about being seen. The technological and social leaps in the past twenty-five years have also led to street

style being a platform for new, smaller brands to get their name out, as well as more retro or specialized use brands (i.e. sports brands such as Nike and Adidas). All of these brands have seen an exponential rise in sales and brand recognition (or re-recognition) following the mass exposure associated with the Internet and social media and are now recognized as street style legends. In conjunction with brand exhibition, those looking to be street style stars also see similar successes. Both street style brands and stars bolster each other, leading to success for both parties involved. This symbiotic relationship works to expand the availability and options for those of us who are interested in street style but are perhaps not ‘stars’; seeing pictures of different styles and outfit pairings creates inspiration, inspiration creates interest, and the interest is satisfied by brands creating the products people want. The photos taken of street style often show the subject in front of urban zones such as a busy intersection or an interesting building, showing off either statement pieces or complete looks. The synergy between the clean, carefully constructed outfit and the bustle of city life often portray a sense of cohesiveness on the subjects part—despite being surrounded by honking horns and thousands of people, they still, to put it plainly, look good. Additionally, the increasing integration of the camera in society and the rise of street style photography pioneered by figures such as such as Bill Cunningham, who passed away earlier this year, and Scott Schuman means that what we wear on a day to day basis can be seen by more than just the people we pass in our commute. Photography is permanency—and with the rise of social media such as Instagram and Snapchat, it can be dispersed to a wide degree. With the sheer amount of people sharing their personal street style looks, the options, combinations, and chances for discovery are so large that anyone can find pieces that resonate with them and express their own individual personality easily, as well as find where they’re from, their price, and their quality. Every time we leave the house, browse our Instagram feed, or open the style section of the New York Times, it’s our own personal lookbook. In the world of street style, anyone can take from it what they like and contribute their say back into the community. This cyclic nature is what keeps street style going—it gives the wearer the power to make of it precisely what they want by providing them with enough options and exposure to do so.

Photo: Vogue

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BY yamini nambimadom

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nlike most other professions, the cosmetics industry has almost always been female-dominated. For one major brand leader, CoverGirl, it’s even in the name. Our culture has come to associate makeup with preconceived notions of femininity and womanhood. But as social norms change and social media allows pioneers to set these changes in motion, the gender stamp associated with this industry is slowly wearing off. James Charles, an Internet beauty phenomenon, is playing a major role in the industry’s evolution. Since the 60s, CoverGirl has been a household name in the beauty industry. Endorsed by the faces of celebrities such as Ellen DeGeneres, Taylor Swift, Rihanna, and Zendaya, the brand has become a staple for any makeup lover looking for variety at a reasonable price point. Historically, CoverGirl’s cover girls have been female celebrities. These women have garnered massive success for the brand, with customers eager to get their hands on the preferred products of celebrities they know and love. But in early October, CoverGirl made waves by announcing that James Charles, a boy, would be the next face of their brand. Prior to receiving this honor, James Charles, a seventeen-year-old from New York, had established a name for himself on the Internet. Through his vast array of makeup tutorials, from fresh-faced and freckled to whimsical and colorful, he has garnered a following of over 80 thousand on his Instagram account (@jamescharles) and over 130 thousand on his YouTube channel. Charles also sparked public interest in September, when his senior photos, featuring brilliantly highlighted cheekbones, went viral on Twitter. The modern American cosmetics

industry skyrocketed in the mid-1900s, with the rising popularity of the silver screen. The average woman idolized the stars she saw in the movies, and went running to department stores to mimic the look. Since then, the products in the spotlight have evolved, but the industry has only grown and caters to an international, diverse market. Still, most of these brands’ customer bases remain predominantly female. However, with the growing success of Instagram and YouTube, the widespread accessibility of Internet platforms allows anyone who wants a voice to have one. Charles is one of many male makeup artists who have found great success in the cosmetics industry with the support of a strong online fan base. Bretman Rock, Manny Mua, Patrick Starrr are other notable male makeup artists on the Internet. Between the three of them, they have launched a false lashes line, collaborated with big brands on product launches, and have had their products displayed in Sephora. CoverGirl’s choice to put Charles at the forefront of their marketing campaigns comes at a pivotal time for public perception of gender roles. Since the rise of mass-market makeup brands, men wearing makeup has been predominantly associated with entertainment, drag, and counter-culture. A cisgender male representing a mass-market cosmetics brand marks the streamlining of men in makeup into mainstream culture. In more outward manifestations of gender roles, particularly in makeup and fashion, we are beginning to see more ambiguity. The way we view masculinity and femininity in our broader culture has dramatically shifted. We are no longer blindly adhering to the antiquated stereotypes we once catered to. We’ve seen Jaden Smith modeling womens-

wear for Louis Vuitton, and now a boy is wearing makeup at the forefront of an international marketing campaign. The dissolving of these gender boundaries into more genderless marketing is a major move, and a good one. The move to go “genderless” in an industry that has formerly added to the stigma associated with typical femininity is a positive move for gender roles and expression in our society. Especially with the presidential election’s results, it is clear our country still has great room for progress regarding the way we view gender. It will be interesting to see the implications of a brand as celebrated as CoverGirl putting forth a bold, progressive stance on the issue. Hopefully, if we continue along this path, we can look forward to a huge leap in freedom and empowerment in the greater population. So good on James Charles for making waves, and good on CoverGirl for taking notice. With any luck, it will be exciting to watch the general public make strides towards a more open discourse on gender expression as a result.

Photos: Elle, E Online, Femulate

THE WO(MENS)EVOLUTION OF WEAR BY MAHATHI AYYAGARI

irst Burberry, then Gucci, and now Calvin Klein. All three high label fashion brands have merged their womenswear and menswear lines into a single collection for upcoming fashion shows. Other luxury brands like Prada, Givenchy, and Saint Laurent have followed suit, gradually adjusting to the business move by dotting women’s collection shows with male models and vice versa. The primary reason for this shift is to create a universal vision for a company, to send a clear brand message at each fashion show. Yet, what has started out as a decision motivated by marketing and economic reasons has an undeniable social impact. This decision signifies a change within the fashion industry, a blurring of gender lines that fits in with our modern definitions of gender and its fluid expression. After Burberry streamlined its seasonal collections, Gucci announced that a single collection will

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be shown each season with both men’s and women’s wear, to simplify aspects of their businesses. According to Gucci CEO Marco Bizzarri in a Bloomberg article, combining the shows is a matter of practicality, a decision that moves away from the tradition of two show “calendars.” Then, Calvin Klein came out with a “new global creative strategy for the company, which will unify all Calvin Klein brands under one creative vision,” as said in an Independent article. Thus, the choice to combine mens/ womenswear hinges on profitability factors for a brand. By combining both collections, fashion houses not only have one remarkable fashion show experience that draws even more press, audiences, and customers, but the chance to create a unified brand for the company, spanning both collections. As buying director Justin O’Shea told Business of Fashion, “With men becoming more feminine and women becoming more masculine, this

androgynous development is allowing for one concise, powerful message from the designers... No longer do they need to create a male and female identity, which apart from being creatively more time consuming, doesn’t build a true ‘direction’. As a byproduct of this commercial decision, fashion houses are able to influence perceptions of gender. It’s important to note that the idea of gender is not easily defined in any context, least of all fashion, but what this shift is really challenging is gender norms and convention. The merger of women and men’s collections creates something larger than just a single show, instead forming a universal brand and movement that does not dictate what traditional gender- based clothing a consumer should wear. Having fashion shows with blurred gender lines, with women wearing traditional men’s clothing and men wearing traditional women’s clothing, provides an array of trends for the consumer to choose from.

FIRST BURBERRY, THEN GUCCI, AND NOW CALVIN KLEIN Take for example Sara Weston, a London-based designer that designed for Eastie Empire, originally a menswear company. An increasing number of female customers bought from her collection, prompting her to expand her company. As she said in The Guardian, people want to wear whatever they want to and it is instead society’s “pressure to subscribe to gender norms as dictating identity and mainstream fashion.” Here, it shows that fashion companies have the chance to really change the mainstream perception of what constitutes gender, to something more fluid and personally driven. What has started as a matter of convenience, to merge two runway calendars and increase viewership, has resulted in an influential opportunity for fashion to spearhead a change in social norms, one full of free expression.

FA S H I O N x P O L I T I C S

Photos: Telegraph, Harper’s Bazaar, New York Post

PAIGE RESNICK explores the relationship between prejudice, politics, and pantsuits-- narrowing in on the media’s portrayal of Hillary Clinton during her campaign for the presidency and the outfits she wore on the trail.

n November 8, 2016, the nation and the rest of the world were truly shocked to see Donald J. Trump triumph over Hillary Rodham Clinton in the election of the 45th President of the United States of America. Supporters and opponents alike were truly speechless to the outcome that very few saw coming. However, the seemingly surprising results of the 2016 Presidential Election really aren’t that shocking at all. How many times in history have we seen a woman ten times as qualified lose to a man? How many times have we seen a woman judged differently for no other reason than her gender? In her loss, Hillary sustained a blow from this country that she and many other women know all too well; despite your accomplishments, efforts, and character, you will come up short. While Hillary has pushed women around the world to fight against the falsity and sexism of

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this conclusion, such a disheartening reality manifests the urgency that is needed to resolve gender discrimination. With the new President-Elect, a man whose divisive comments often paralyze millions of individuals in this country with fear for the future of women’s rights, among the rights of many other groups, people have been uniting across the country to root out the prejudice that is instilled in our society. But where does this prejudice come from? Throughout the election season, fashion and clothing actually pervaded the discriminatory conversations about Hillary Clinton, distracting voters from her policies and service. HRC’s signature pantsuits have for years defined her style, garnering her much attention and criticism for the “frumpy,” “dull” and “ugly” matching pant and jacket combo. Clinton, in her decades spent serving our country in various prominent political roles and areas of government, has had to combat the nation’s obsession with her uniform and attempt to shift the focus back to her important plans for the United States. On the Zach Galifianakis segment of “Between Two Ferns,” when asked about what she was going to wear to the first presidential debate, Clinton noted the “double

standard” that women face when choosing an outfit, highlighting the media’s often sexist and distracting preoccupation with female politician’s clothing. A “Hillary” outfit collects much more attention than the outfit of any of her male counterparts (while, ironically, they both wear suits). After every public appearance, Hillary was often berated for her fashion choice, while Trump’s ill-fitting suits sustained few blows. The message that this hyper-fixation sends to women is truly dismal: No matter what you do, no matter how well you do it, the only thing that matters is the mistakes you made in picking out what to wear. Hillary has attempted to combat this bigotry in the only way she knows how; with some pretty killer pantsuits. Hillary’s pantsuits create an aura of confidence, while also acting symbolically to positively further her message. Hillary’s white pantsuit for the Democratic National Convention nodded to the official color of the women’s suffrage movement, establishing HRC as a true leader in the struggle for women’s rights, now and in the future. Hillary’s trio of red, white, and blue pantsuits for the general election debates subtly hinted to voters about her patriotism. On election day, thousands of women voting

for Clinton showed up to the polls dressed in their own pantsuits to show support for the woman who has tirelessly pushed for the furthering of equality and the end of sexism. The outfit that Clinton wore while giving her concession speech and the commencement of the election only furthered the power of the pantsuit. Her black jacket and pant combo with striking purple lapels and a matching purple blouse perhaps demonstrated a call for bipartisan unity, as blue and red, the respective colors of the democratic and republican parties, combine to make purple. Unity is surely needed in this time where women and girls often feel the burdens of inequality and hatred. As Hillary stressed during that same concession speech: “To all the little girls watching this, never doubt that you are powerful and valuable and deserving of every chance and opportunity in the world.” To the women who have faced the same discrimination and objectification as Hillary Clinton, do not let anyone discourage you from reaching the top. Stand up tall, put on a pantsuit, and remember the words of HRC: “Women’s rights are human rights.” 19

Is Modest Fashion Becoming Mainstream? BY JENNIFER TENG

hat women wear has always resided under an intense spotlight. The “modesty movement” taking over runways and serving as inspiration for new clothing lines epitomizes a shift in the celebration of womanhood in the fashion industry. This trend stands in line with the fashion industry embracing and encouraging international influences. This daring new outlook was seen at New York Fashion Week this year through the collection of designer Anniesa Hasibuan during her show at Moynihan Station. Anniesa Hasibuan made history by creating and debuting the first collection to include hijabs in every one of her 48-pieces. The hijabs debuted were beautiful neutral tones: including gold, silver, and pink hues, a color scheme mirrored in the tunics, pants, suits, and jackets paired with them. The Indonesian designer expressed that she drew inspiration from her home city of Jakarta, especially its characteristic vibrancy and diversity. As the first Indonesian designer to present her designs on the runway, she once again broke historical precedent. Her vision captivated the audience, as the show ended with an unprecedented standing ovation. Yet, Hasibuan’s social media accounts demonstrate that making history often comes with controversy. Some individuals question the introduction and adoption of modest, international fashion into the mainstream. On Instagram she posted, “’Behind the success of a show there is a great team that was strong and sturdy when it was hit by dissent. And we can handle it.’” Nevertheless, many lauded her efforts. To Melanie Elturk, the chief executive of Haute Hijab, a US brand that sells hijabs and modest fashion, the show was a success that was pushing the ideas of modest fashion in the right direction. Elturk represents how inspirational female designers and entrepreneurs have created small businesses and

clothing lines to promote modest fashion and allow girls to explore both their faith and fashion simultaneously. Haute Hijab was established in 2001 and the website describes the community it creates of “beautiful women empowering one another through inspiring stories, style and commitment to faith.” The Frock NYC has a similar mission. Founded by sisters and designers Chaya Chanin and Simi Polonsky, The Frock NYC channels the sister’s style: an amalgam of the beach culture of Australia, from which they hail, and their orthodox Jewish culture. The Brooklyn based fashion studio is

also paired with British-Japanese Muslim fashion designer Hana Tajima to produce items that have been inspired by her. The collection included wide legged pants, airy tunics, and flowy dresses, amongst others. Most notably were the hijabs, which garnered press attention. Modest fashion was now integrated with a street wear collection promoted by a mainstream brand. The high fashion retailer Dolce and Gabanna recently released a line of hijabs and abayas. Dubbed The Abaya Collection: The Allure of the Middle East, the usual figure-hugging sihlouettes the brand favored were exchanged for more modest figures; the Dolce and Gabanna signature style has been retained as demonstrated through the lace and embellishments adorning to pieces. Like the fashion industry itself, certain modeling agencies have found a niche in the representation of women from international backgrounds who promote modest fashion. Underwraps Agency describes itself as “global agency representing the Muslim Female Fashion Model. ” The models of this agency have worked on many redound campaigns such as Vogue and designers such as Victoria Beckham. New fashion trends are more than fleeting styles. Instead, they are often representative of a generation’s ideals and thoughts. In a sociopolitical climate like the present, it is empowering to see modest fashion hitting the runways, designer collections, and being promoted by small businesses. Excitement about this trend demonstrates an expansion from the previous definition of women’s wear, indicating that fashion trends are a global phenomena. The emergence of the modest fashion movement highlights that fashion is a universal language, uniting people across cultures and geographic location. No matter your background, self-expression through style, fashion, and creativity is innate in every person.

“The emergence of the modest fashion movement highlights that fashion is a universal language, uniting people across cultures and geographic location.” multi-faceted. The sisters describe their concepts and fashion ideas as, “effortless and simple, yet inevitably infused with our signature Aussie flair, these timeless basics are anything but basic.” The runways and new design collections aren’t the only circles where modest fashion has recently been seen. The trend is becoming mainstream. Recently, H & M released an advertisement video featuring Madriah Idrissi. Idrissi appears in the video promoting recycling clothes wearing a hijab. The second largest retailer follows in this trend of normalizing the hijab. Uniqlo

Photos: Refinery29, JW Outfits, HuffPost, HijabLife.com, Vogue, Styleblazer, Elle

20 | MODA Magazine | Winter 2017

DONATELLA The New Face of Versace

by karnika pombra

onatella. For many devout supporters, this name symbolizes the ultimate fashion icon. With her signature platinum blonde hair, powerful voice, and unflagging spirit, Donatella has maintained the success of Versace for almost two decades. Donatella grew up in a wealthy Italian family in the 50’s, and was deeply influenced by her relatives’ entrepreneurial spirit. While her brother, Gianni Versace, is known to be the true founder of Versace, Donatella played a critical role in the company’s implementation. As her brother worked to bring Versace to life, Donatella had substantial creative influence on the company. She injected her trademark bold and edgy style into countless Versace designs at the time. Through Gianni, Donatella found a portal to the fashion world that she has become such an integral part of today. Following the famously tragic murder of Gianni in the summer of 1997, Donatella took over as the face of Versace. She entered the business side of the company at full speed, serving as its Vice President and Creative Director. Her work experience with the brand had left her well-prepared, and she combined her business and fashion acumen to transform the company. She effectively reinvented the brand, transitioning its 80’s flair into a more modern and suave vogue. Because of her unfaltering direction, Versace’s sales skyrocketed amidst surrounding financial crises. Some may say Donatella is especially admirable for her ability to transform tragedy into triumph. Gianni’s death was an evident calamity, in both the fashion world and Donatella’s personal life. The sudden passing of Gianni caused Donatella understandable grief while simultaneously aggravating her preexisting insecurities. Yet, Donatella was able to defy the odds, and work her own methodology into Versace, propelling the brand into a new era. While she started out simply copying her brother’s technique at first, she soon realized that what both she and the company needed to move on from Gianni’s death was a complete revitalization. In an interview with The Guardian, Donatella noted that she thought of her transformation of Versace as a metaphor for the revival of her own life, saying “you have to renew yourself because tomorrow is what matters in fashion. Today is already old.” Perhaps Donatella’s most distinctive feature is her ascendancy in a male-dominated industry. Back in 1997, when Donatella first took the reins, a female fashion executive was a rarity, but Donatella paved the way for female brand

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executives to rise to power. However, even today, the fashion industry consists of primarily male executives. Women comprise of less than half of the lead designers for top-tier designer brands. Surprisingly, this statistic applies to brands that exclusively manufacture female clothing as well. Even in this modern day and age, we have men designing a majority of female clothing. Donatella challenges this reality by instilling her own female perspective into Versace’s designs. In a recent interview with The New York Times Style Magazine, she noted that “Male designers work for an ideal woman; female designers work for real women.” Donatella has certainly worked to shift Versace’s designs to embrace the “real” over the ideal. Her designs strive to give power to the wearer, rather than simply the article of clothing. In the same interview, Donatella explained that “When I do fittings, I always listen to what the girls have to say…I ask them, ‘Do you feel good in this? Do you like yourself?’ We are women — I mean they are models — but we’re both women.’’ In this way, Donatella has steered the industry to focus on the individual behind the model. She implies that designs are not simply meant to ornament a woman. Instead, there is a closer connection between a woman and her clothing, a sort of distinct experience a woman gains from the physical act of wearing the piece. As a uniquely female executive in the fashion industry, Donatella is able to accentuate the importance of Versace’s effects on the wearer, not just the viewer. Donatella’s sui generis outlook on womenswear is best showcased in Versace’s Spring 2016 collection. Her bold, designs received critical acclaim and countless expressions of admiration, even long after the curtains closed on the show. The collection primarily included apparel meant for daytime wear rather than the glitzy evening garments that are common of such shows. The debut included pieces that incorporated militaristic and combat-style designs into women’s fashion. Noteworthy pieces included camouflage print dresses, dusky cinched coats, rubber-soled heels, and bronzed rucksacks. Donatella’s new trends have pointed Versace in an entirely new direction, where designs are meant to be liberating and robust. As she continues redefining modern fashion, Donatella will surely forge a deeper connection between fashion and female empowerment. But in the end, her ability to take the debris of Versace after Gianni’s death and assemble them into a meaningful success story is what makes her truly exemplary.

Photos: Pinterest

hen Off-White debuted in 2013, it was a new start for Virgil Abloh. PYREX Vision--his previous fashion line--had experienced an odd mixture of critical rejection and popular acceptance. Despite managing to cultivate a following so strong that the $550 flannels from its final drop sold out in mere minutes, critics often rejected the brand, citing that it was all “hype” and no substance. This perception only worsened after a scandal revealing that the infamous $550 was nothing more than a screen printed $80 Ralph Lauren Rugby flannel; eventually, the brand dissolved. Soon after, Off-White was born as a new project of Abloh’s with a very specific goal in mind: to redefine what “streetwear” is. In doing so, Off-White managed to do what few others had before: reconcile high fashion, an often-inaccessible art form, and streetwear, a form of pure self-expression.

“Off-White bridges the gap by incorporating quintessential streetwear elements into its high fashion mode.” Photo: NoHypeNoLife.com

High fashion is, in essence, fashion taken as an art form. Generally, in order for a label to be considered “high fashion”, it must have a runway show at one of the four major Fashion Weeks--New York, Paris, London, and Milan. These runway shows largely serve showcase the brand’s current pret-a-porter, or “ready-to-wear”, designs, garments that can be purchased and worn soon after their debut. These runway shows, however, don’t serve as simple marketing schemes; rather, designers will use them to showcase their artistic intent from the given line - every collection has some sort of conceptual backing, an idea that the designer wants to convey. Off-White has a distinctive artistic message, with oversized fits, strikingimagery, and intentional formality clashing all contributing to a broader theme. For example, Men’s SS16 “Blue Collar”’s use of traditional workwear materials such as oxford cloth or denim to create bastardizations of classic items, inspired by Royal Mail uniforms, that turn the proletarian bourgeois is a meta-commentary: Abloh wants to take the “blue collar” streetwear and turn it white collar. Streetwear at its core is a far less cultured medium, yet, as Off-White demonstrates, is not wholly irreconcilable with high fashion. The current mode of streetwear draws heavily from a variety of influences, with the one single largest driving factor being the Internet. Outside of the social media platforms, rappers like Kanye West and other youth icons often dictate trends. Unlike high fashion, the goal of streetwear isn’t to convey a complex artistic message. Rather, it’s a mode of self-expression and showing off, with the concept of “flexing”--wearing a highly branded or otherwise recognizable article of clothing in order to demonstrate wealth--being a hallmark of streetwear. Given its use as a method of self-expression and/or showing off, despite less cultured roots, a connection between the two genres is plausible. Off-White bridges the gap by incorporating quintessential streetwear elements into its high fashion mode.

OFF-WHITE BY JONAS CIPLICKAS

Models walk down the runway of Paris Fashion Week wearing Vans Old-Skools and white crew socks coupled with an anti-fit bomber and distressed shorts--four distinctly street items in a quintessential high fashion setting. The infamous WHITE that marks nearly every piece is no different than the Supreme box logo that adorns its articles--both exist so the wearer can “flex” in the piece. When the likes of Rihanna, A$AP Rocky, and Drake started wearing Off-White, its popularity grew immensely. Even though Off-White was born in a high-fashion setting, the clothing it produces allow it to reconcile the two genres into one. On the surface, Off-White exhibits many streetwear-esque traits: the infamous WHITE that marks nearly every piece is arguably the most recognizable streetwear trope. It’s price tag, presence at various fashion weeks, and relatively bourgeois origins drive it away from a single classification. Consistently, Off-White pushes itself into a grey zone. Vans Old-Skools and white crew socks--quintessential skate items--are paired with an anti-fit bomber and distressed shorts during runway shows. A graphic tee littered with branding is sold on Ssense alongside Maison Margiela and Dior. High fashion brands often have more street components like Comme des Garçons with Play and SLP with the SL/01H. Off-White, however, differentiates itself in that it’s ready-to-wear and Haute Couture shows are all distinctly street - there is no street-spinoff, it’s pure street.

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Young Thug: Changing the Rap Industry Through a Wardrobe

hate in an interview with French website Clique by stating in his classic airy tone that “you’ve gotta have a bad guy... I really understand it.” This is not any sort of an apology: it is the exact opposite. In the face of toxic hatred from thousands, he instead is insisting that he is going to keep doing exactly what he wants. Through this unapologetic behavior, Young Thug’s fashion sense is changing the face of hip hop and inspiring a generation of young men to become more open about their clothing choices. While he is not the first to do this, his fashion is unquestionably a breakthrough in such a hyper masculine culture. Jeffery may not be setting a new norm on his own, but he has certainly opened up countless discussions, not only on how to dress but also on what it means to be a rap artist in today’s world: this will no doubt be an invaluable talking point as a new era of rap dawns in American culture.

By RYAN BERGMAN

n August 25, 2016, Jeffery Williams, better known as Young Thug, released the album art to his 16th mix tape, No, My Name is Jeffery. The cover consists of a plain white background, a hazy purple floor, and at the center the rapper himself, donning a frilly purple dress and a purple cone shaped hat, both by Italian designer Alessandro Trincone. On his wrists are two distinct diamond bracelets, an ostentatious move that can only be seen as typical of the man. This bold statement created massive waves across social media, with people mocking and shaming the artist on Twitter, Facebook, and various Internet forums. Not many other rappers that are under such constant and intense public scrutiny dress in a similar fashion; however, this was not something

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bia and strict gender roles, Young Thug’s openly “feminine” fashion choices are helping young men become more comfortable with expressing themselves through their own unique styles. Many old-fashioned rap hardliners have taken issue with Thug’s open rejection of gender roles in fashion, as they believe it takes away a certain masculinity that they feel should be present in the culture. However, the artist’s growing popularity amongst the newest generation of hip-hop fans is evidence of a shift in the norms of how people think of what defines a rap artist or, as Jeffery would call himself, a “thug.” To him, a man with “no feelings” that raps openly about women, drugs, and murder can still get away with wearing women’s clothing on the daily, an idea that is revolutionary in hip-hop culture. In the face of all of the hatred based on outdated forms of masculinity and homophobia, he has remained entirely unapologetic. He explains the

entirely new to the hip-hop world: Kanye West, Kid Cudi, A$AP Rocky, and Andre 3000 have worn women’s clothing at shows and in music videos, also to major backlash. While this was an especially avant-garde move for Thug, the idea of dressing in women’s clothing was not foreign to him. In fact, in a September 2015 interview with GQ, he stated, “ninety percent of [his] clothes are women’s.” The same night he released his album cover, he remarked that “I don’t know anyone in the whole wide world who dress better than me;” it is exactly this bullish, unflinching confidence in tandem with his gender-nonconforming wardrobe choices that is what makes Young Thug such a polarizing figure in hip-hop fashion. In a culture dominated by rampant homopho-

Photos: Kings Media

Photos: High Snobiety, Por Homme, Addicted2Candi, Forbes, Mashable, Chicago Tribune

pop pop up couture By Caleb Lugo

28 | MODA Magazine | Winter 2017

op-up shops have sprung up in pop culture just as quickly as their transient infrastructure. Despite staple celebrity pop-up shops, musicians have invaded the realm of pop-up shops that was once traditionally dominated by celebrities and fashion pioneers. Musician’s unique relationship to these shops as an effective method to sell their merchandise is seemingly motivated by two main factors: record label’s urgency for quick and dependable profits, and the overall advancement of an artist’s branding. Conceptually, pop-up shops are anything but new. It almost seems as if musicians are late to partake in a phenomenon whose expiration date steadfastly approaches. Such a late arrival is perplexing given the extensive history of artists selling branded personal merchandise. However, following years of numerous iterations, these shops have experienced a renaissance of sorts spearheaded by musicians and subsequent record labels alike. Musicians have managed to singlehandedly turn an industry trend on its head by emphasizing the experience rather than the product. Earlier pop-up shops heavily centered on the commodified product sold to the consumer—and understandably so. In stark contrast, musicians have centralized their focus on the experience of their brand. By strategically timing the shops to coincide with album releases and concert dates, artists have managed to breathe air into a dying fad— subsequently transforming pop-up shops into an industry necessity for selling musician’s merchandise. One possible explanation for such drastic alterations could be record labels’ demand for profit. Amidst an ever-changing landscape of turbulence, industry professionals along with artists are exploring other avenues for profit now more than ever. For comparison, the Chainsmokers’ unexpected hit “Closer (feat. Halsey)” only sold a mere 84,000 digital copies marking the lowest selling #1 on Billboard’s Digital Song Sales chart since 2006 (the chart had only been introduced the prior year). In order to compensate for lackluster digital and physical music sales, record label contracts now receive a cut of profits from musician’s forays into fashion and merchandising. Most drastic are label’s notorious 360 deals in which record labels essentially own all the rights belong to an artist. According to CEO of Gold Village Entertainment Danny Goldberg, a 360 deal “…is usually a deal with a record company in which the record company also participates

in the income of all of the other aspects of the artist’s work, such as songwriting and merchandise, in addition to making money off the records.” Thus, we can understand the ways in which record labels encourage their artists to create innovative pop-up shops as a promotional mechanism to create demand for an already existing product. Spurred by record labels, musicians have seemingly used pop-up shops to reinvent a previously conventional product into something much more experiential. For example, The Strokes launched a pop-up shop coinciding with the release of their new ep titled Future Present Past. The multiple-room pop-up shop came furnished with a vinyl listening room, living room, espresso bar, bedroom (yes—bed included), and video projector room. The shop provided customers with an interactive space in which fans and customers alike could experience The Strokes’ aesthetic first hand. The inextricable relationship between experiential products sold at pop-up shops and a musician’s brand is integral to their overall success. Hype, surprise visits, strategically-timed launches with concerts and album releases all contribute to an artist’s branding as consumers are not only purchasing a Kanye West Saint Pablo denim jacket, but also engaging with the culture of Kanye West as a brand: his aesthetic, his persona, and his lifestyle. The experiential aspect of West’s brand enables consumers to engage with him in new and exciting ways previously unimaginable— all of which is due to the massive hype surrounding pop-up shops as the site in which consumers tangibly engage with an artist’s brand. In the end, the motivations of labels to encourage and subsidize these pop-up shops make even more sense given that they not only profit directly from the product’s sales, but also profit from all other aspects of the musician’s brand. Advancement of a musician’s brand in fashion and merchandising results in an advancement of a musician’s brand in various fields such as music, film, charity, publishing, etc. In this sense, modern musicians in partnership with labels are blurring the traditional lines between music and product by redefining the expectations placed upon artists when selling a commodified and branded product. Not only are artists’ merchandise commodified, but also artists’ brands as record labels aim to reap the rewards of their overall brand as a source of profitable income by means of pop-up shops. 29

David Robinson | Saint Alfred Photos: Modern Notoriety, MADE, Jack Threads

Whether you’re looking for your next favorite pair of sneakers or a killer statement tee, Saint Alfred has made a name for itself in the Chicago area and beyond as the go-to destination for enviable, streamlined streetwear. David R. Robinson, store manager, buyer and photographer at Saint Alfred, shares with Features Editor Olivia Jia, the highlights of his creative career and the challenges of helping to running a small business. OJ: How would you describe Saint Alfred’s overall design aesthetic, e.g. who’s your ideal shopper? What are some cornerstones of the Saint Alfred design mentality and vision? DRR: If I had to use one word to describe Saint Alfred’s aesthetic I would say clean. Whether it’s the layout and design of the shop, our website, our graphics or our collaborations, we do our best to have a somewhat timeless aesthetic. Something that will not only be fun but also intriguing as well as standing the test of time. We don’t have a ideal shopper, we just ask that people are open and receptive. Our customer base is so varied, whether it’s kids all the way to older adults, we get them all. We don’t attempt to cater to any one type of customer because we would have went out of business years ago trying to please everyone. So we do our best to stay our course and we’ve been fortunate that people have grown with us. Over the eleven years we’ve been in business we’ve been fortunate to introduce many brands not only to 30 | MODA Magazine | Winter 2017

Chicago but also the region. Over that time we’ve grown from a local boutique to one that’s known globally and we don’t take any of our customers for granted. With that said we have to balance creating product that will resonate locally in Chicago but also not alienate customers elsewhere on the globe. It’s a tricky balance but we fortunately have a great team and have had more hits than misses. OJ:What got you into fashion and retail in general? Were you always on that track or did you have more of an ‘aha’ moment after which you segued into more creative industries. DRR: I’ve always been interested in garments and fashion. I was raised to have pride in my appearance, that for better or worse people will judge you by that first. As I’ve gotten older and through my various travels, my knowledge of designers and brands has only broadened. This has allowed me to focus more on what I personally like and want to wear. I wasn’t always on track to be involved in the field I’m currently in. I went to school for Psychology and Pharmacology but I’ve always been a creative person. From visual art to writing to now photography. I feel we’re all born creative people however as we grow older some of us loose that creative voice or it gets drowned out by other things. I’ve been fortunate enough to still hear my inner child and still have my creative voice. So at the core of myself I’ve had two sides to my person, the creative side and the intellectual side. The

intellectual side drove me to go down the path of psychology and pharmacology which was interesting to me. People interest me and the reason we do certain things interest me. Human behavior interests me. So around the time I was in school I lost a few people close to me and that put my life into perspective. It was then I chose to put psych on pause and decided to pursue photography because that’s what ultimately makes me happy. Fortunately my background in psych helps me with my photography. From me doing freelance work I started working at the shop and I realized my sincere appreciation of garments and fabrics. I’ve always been into sneakers so this job was a perfect intersection of some of my varied interests. OJ: Moving forward, what’s next for Saint Alfred? Is there anything you’re looking forward to in particular (ie. a collaboration, event, etc)? DRR: While I can’t tell you specifically what’s next for Saint Alfred I can say we’re cooking up a few things we’re excited to show our customers. There are a few things I’m looking forward to but they are once again things I can’t disclose at this time. In a era where everything is leaked or seen months in advance we like to keep the surprise until it’s the proper time. That way we can see the genuine reaction from our customers. One thing I am looking forward to that I can speak about is the upcoming buying season. It’s a time when I usually have to travel along with two of my other coworkers I run the shop and do the buying with. I love traveling and this job has allowed me to travel to various places around the globe meeting new people and seeing product in person. It’s given me a great deal of perspective which I’m grateful for. OJ: What has been one of the biggest milestones in your career so far? DRR: I can’t think of just one, there’s been more than a few which have been amazing and a little surreal. One thing that sticks out is over the course of my career I’ve been able to meet and in some cases befriend various people in this

industry that I look up to. I’ve read magazines with them in it and now on some levels we’re peers. Through that I’ve been able to learn a great deal from them and they’ve helped my own personal growth as a person and a creative. Every year has been filled with highlights of one sort or another. I will say having the chance to meet and talk with Tom Sachs, Carlo Rivetti of Stone Island and Prodigy of Mobb Deep are definitely some of the highlights of this year. OJ: What’s the hardest part about helping to run the business? DRR: I would say the most difficult aspect of helping run this business is the fact I have no set schedule and work a great deal. Unlike most traditional jobs I don’t have a set 9-5 or a set office. Just because I leave the shop doesn’t mean I can clock out and not deal with it. Since some people recognize my face and that I work at Saint Alfred I get asked about product or shop related things when I’ve been at grabbing groceries or out on my personal time. I’m pretty much on call at all times unless I’m asleep, that could mean emails coming through at all times of the night or discussing with my coworkers about a collaboration or developing the marketing for a upcoming in-house release or whatever. Fortunately I enjoy what I do so while the work is indeed work it’s also fun. OJ: What’s the most rewarding part about helping to run the business? DRR: The most rewarding part about helping to run the business is seeing the reactions to customers when they learn about a new brand or get a shoe or item that they’re really excited about. I enjoy well thought out and well designed product that lasts and I enjoy talking to other people that are also excited about it. With all the differences we allow to separate ourselves, it’s interesting and encouraging that something such as clothing or sneakers can bring together people of various ethnicities, genders and incomes under one common love or connection. 31

Le Thrift: Christine Sanderson Photo: Adventure Time in Chicago

Seven years ago Christine Sanderson founded Le Thrift Consignment, a luxury consignment store that sought to cater to women of all income levels in the midst of national economic upheaval. Flash forward to the present and Le Thrift has become an important focal point for vintage and designer fashions in the Chicagoland area. Features Editor, Olivia Jia, sat down with Christine to discuss everything from her sources of inspiration to the challenges of running her own business. OJ: What informs your design philosophy? Is there anything that inspires you in particular when conceptualizing the image of your store and products? CS: I come from a creative background where my professors in college encouraged me to study… all types of design… I have taken this curiosity for learning and applied it to my business. As an entrepreneur you can never learn to much and I often borrow from other business fields’ ideas and concepts so that I can adapt them into the world of women’s consignment. I also saw there was a need to have a store that felt high end, but offered fashion attainable for all incomes. Fashion with history from vintage lines to contemporary that a women can shop for in the same store. OJ:What did you do before Le Thrift and what inspired you to start your own company? 32 | MODA Magazine | Winter 2017

CS: Before Le Thrift Consignment, I had my own graphic design company for seven years and then was a fashion representative for Tom Ford in the Midwest. My first out of college job was designing Disney licensed baby clothes for Marshall Fields, Macy’s and Target. My career has changed many times due to trends in the economy and I have always had to adapt. I tell people just graduating school that their career may change up to seven times as an adult and to try to learn as much and be adaptive in order to be successful in today’s economy. Le Thrift Consignment has always been a dream business to start up. It was [because of the] timing that I actually got the chance to do it. Although it was not under the best of circumstances; I had been laid off from my position with Tom Ford during the last recession. At the time I was a single mother who had been going on countless interviews with no results. I wanted to do something about it and decided to pursue my dream of becoming a luxury consignment business owner. At home while my daughter was at school, I did a ton of research and drew up a business plan. I wanted to offer a type of business that was not offered in Chicago, a niche where I felt there was a demand. At the same time, during the recession, my friends and colleagues were losing their jobs and homes and came to me to sell their clothing after the announcement of the business. I started out of my house in a tiny bedroom that became

my office. A lot of people told me I could not do it, I had no money and warned me it would fail. Never let anyone tell you that you cannot go for a dream. Just make sure that you have a solid business plan and do the research before starting. OJ: Moving forward, what’s next for Le Thrift? Is there anything you’re looking forward to in particular (ie. a collaboration, event, etc)? CS: We are moving into the next phase of the business which is to focus more online. This is very exciting for us as this is where we see more potential growth. We are also expanding the business into offering new services that can assist clients and make their lives easier. With this phase of business there will be expansion into another state. M: What has been one of the biggest milestones in your career so far? CS: The biggest milestone in my career has been that other business owners in the same field and across the US take me seriously now and the business has a presence in the fashion world. It has been seven years in the making with little to no capital and a lot of sweat equity. OJ: What’s the hardest part about running your own business?

CS: The hardest part of running my business is following all the changes and trends that happen in retail. The economy is still soft and customers still really think before purchasing an item. Our society has been trained to only shop sales and discounts… We also have to constantly adapt to the market around us. We have more competition than when we first started and the local market has become saturated with consignment, so we are constantly trying to find ways to make ourselves unique and create a niche that the other businesses do not offer to their customers. OJ: What’s the most rewarding part about running your own business? CS: The most rewarding part of running my business is to constantly be learning and challenged everyday. I meet so many people from different generations, backgrounds and professions… Also, the history that you can learn from fashion is amazing. When I go to an older client’s house and go through their closet, I talk to them about when they wore certain items. They often relate a dress or bag to a certain time or event in history. I love hearing these stories and learning the personal perspective of how these events in history affected their decisions in buying and deciding what they wore. There is a anthropological perspective I never thought existed when I first started the business. 33

multifaceted

Photographer: Naomy Grandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Pierre Beauty Editor: Michelle DePorto Assistant Beauty Editor: Saylor Soinski Models: Alessa Cross, Macy Helm, Rachel HileBroad, & Poonam Kamdar

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skater boy Photographer: Kiran Misra Stylists: Leon Chin, Caleb Lugo, Rohit Satishchandra, & Stefan Tesliuc Models: Jason Deng & Ryan Keem Menswear courtesy of Saint Alfred (1531 N Milwaukee Ave.)

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out with the old, in with the new Photographer: Daniel Chae Stylists: Christy Cheng, Eleonora Edreva, Maxime Kpangbai, Paige Resnick Models: Mati Esther Engel, Samantha Gilbert, Aanya Jhaveri, Olamide Katheryn, Binger Shanguan, & Nicole Somerstein Clothing provided by Le Thrift Consignment (1821 W Chicago Ave.)

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